Judith 6

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 When the uproar of those crowding round the council had subsided, Holofernes, general-in-chief of theAssyrian army, reprimanded Achior in front of the whole crowd of foreigners and Ammonites.	1 But when they had ceased speaking, it happened that Holofernes, being very indignant, said to Achior:
2 'Achior, who do you think you are, you and the Ephraimite mercenaries, playing the prophet like this withus today, and trying to dissuade us from making war on the people of Israel? You claim their God wil protectthem. And who is God if not Nebuchadnezzar? He himself wil display his power and wipe them off the face ofthe earth, and their God wil certainly not save them.	2 “Because you have prophesied to us, saying that the people of Israel may be defended by their God, and so as to reveal to you that there is no God, except Nebuchadnezzar:
3 But we, his servants, shal destroy them as easily as a single individual. They can never resist thestrength of our cavalry.	3 when we will have struck them all as one man, then you also will pass away with them by the sword of the Assyrians, and all Israel will perish into perdition with you.
4 We shal burn them all. Their mountains will be drunk with their blood and their plains filled with theircorpses. Far from being able to resist us, every one of them wil die; thus says King Nebuchadnezzar, lord of thewhole world. For he has spoken, and his words will not prove empty.	4 And you will be shown that Nebuchadnezzar is the lord of the whole earth. And then, the sword of my army will pass through your sides, and, being stabbed, you will fall among the wounded of Israel, and you will breathe no longer, when you have been destroyed with them.
5 As for you, Achior, you Ammonite mercenary, who in a rash moment said these words, you wil not seemy face again until the day when I have taken my revenge on this brood from Egypt.	5 And furthermore, if you consider your prophecy to be true, do not let your countenance fall, and let the paleness that has taken hold of your face depart from you, if you claim that these my words cannot be fulfilled.
6 And then the swords of my soldiers and the spears of my officers wil pierce your sides. You wil falamong their wounded, the moment I turn on Israel.	6 But so that you may know that you will experience these things together with them, behold, from this hour you will be associated with their people, so that, when they receive the punishment that they deserve from my sword, you will fall under the same vengeance.”
7 My servants wil now take you into the hill-country and leave you near one of the towns in the passes;	7 Then Holofernes instructed his servants to apprehend Achior, and to lead him through to Bethulia, and to deliver him into the hands of the sons of Israel.
8 you wil not die, until you share their ruin.	8 And, taking him, the servants of Holofernes traveled through the plains. But when they approached close to the mountains, the slingers of stones went forth against them.
9 No need to look so sad if you cherish the secret hope that they wil not be captured! I have spoken; noneof my words will prove idle.'	9 Then, diverting by the side of the mountain, they tied Achior, hands and feet, to a tree, and so they abandoned him, bound with ropes, and they returned to their lord.
10 Holofernes having commanded his tent-orderlies to seize Achior, to take him to Bethulia and to handhim over to the Israelites,	10 Thereafter, the sons of Israel, descending from Bethulia, came to him. Releasing him, they brought him to Bethulia. And so, standing him in the midst of the people, they interrogated him as to what event caused the Assyrians to abandon him, bound.
11 the orderlies took him, escorted him out of the camp and across the plain, and then, making for the hil -country, reached the springs below Bethulia.	11 In those days, the rulers of that place were Uzziah, the son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, and Chabris, also called Gothoniel.
12 As soon as the men of the town sighted them, they snatched up their weapons, left the town and madefor the mountain tops, while al the slingers pelted them with stones to prevent them from coming up.	12 And so, in the midst of the elders and in the sight of everyone, Achior explained all that he had said in reply to the questioning of Holofernes, and in what manner the people of Holofernes wanted to have him killed because of this word,
13 However, they managed to take cover at the foot of the slope, where they bound Achior and left himlying at the bottom of the mountain and returned to their master.	13 and how Holofernes himself, being angry, had ordered him to be handed over to the Israelites, for this reason: so that when he would prevail over the sons of Israel, then he would also command Achior himself to be executed by diverse torments, because he had said that the God of heaven is their defender.
14 The Israelites then came down from their town, stopped by him, unbound him and took him to Bethulia,where they brought him before the chief men of the town,	14 And when Achior had declared all these things, all the people fell on their faces, adoring the Lord, and, communing together with mourning and weeping, they poured out their prayers with one mind to the Lord,
15 who at that time were Uzziah son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, Chabris son of Gothoniel andCharmis son of Melchiel.	15 saying: “O Lord, God of heaven and earth, behold their arrogance, and gaze upon our humility, and attend to the face of your holy ones, and reveal that you do not abandon those who rely on you, and that those who rely on themselves and who glory in their own strength, you humble.”
16 These summoned al the elders of the town. The young men and the women also hurried to theassembly. Achior was made to stand with al the people surrounding him, and Uzziah questioned him about whathad happened.	16 And so, when their weeping was ended, and the prayer of the people throughout the entire day was completed, they consoled Achior,
17 He answered by tel ing them what had been said at Holofernes' council, and what he himself had saidin the presence of the Assyrian leaders, and how Holofernes had bragged of what he would do to the House ofIsrael.	17 saying: “The God of our fathers, whose power you have predicted, will give to you this in return: that you, instead, will see the destruction of them.
18 At this the people fel to the ground and worshipped God.	18 Truly, when the Lord our God will give this freedom to his servants, may God also be with you in our midst, so that, just as it pleases you, everyone who is with you may keep company with us.”
19 'Lord God of heaven,' they cried, 'take notice of their arrogance and have pity on the humiliation of ourrace. Look kindly today on those who are consecrated to you.'	19 Then Uzziah, after the council was ended, received him into his own house, and he made him a great supper.
20 They then spoke reassuringly to Achior and praised him warmly.	20 And all the elders were invited; together they refreshed themselves at the completion of their fast.
21 After the assembly Uzziah took him home and gave a banquet for the elders; al that night they cal edon the God of Israel for help.	21 In truth, after this, all the people were called together, and they prayed throughout the entire night within the assembly, petitioning help from the God of Israel.